Bill Clinton to head CAP fundraiser

Former President Bill Clinton is set to headline next month’s annual Center for American Progress fundraiser, putting him in front of a key group of Democratic constituencies and officials as the party heads into the midterms.

Clinton is speaking on May 14, just months after his wife, Hillary Clinton, addressed an event honoring the group’s tenth year in existence.

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“We’re very honored to have him,” said CAP President Neera Tanden, who worked in the Clinton White House before joining Hillary Clinton’s U.S. Senate campaign in 2000 and her presidential effort in 2008. The group has been host at past events to speakers such as President Barack Obama, and has held events with Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.

The May event typically is made up of progressive leaders, elected officials and donors.

Bill Clinton has spoken publicly this year about the need to address income inequality, including at the inauguration of New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, who won his primary campaign with a message structured on bridging the economic divide. Hillary Clinton, who’s widely seen as a likely presidential candidate in 2016, has also been speaking about the topic, which the Democratic Party’s base has increasingly focused on.

CAP was founded in 2004 by Clinton allies, and the think-tank has become a critical stop for center-left elected officials looking to speak to a progressive audience.